Tunisia President calls for public procurement law reform

President Kais Saied has called for a profound revision of the legislation governing public procurement in Tunisia. During a meeting with Salah Zouari, the minister in charge of Industry, Mines, and Energy, Saied emphasized that the reform must span all sectors to combat corruption, limit irregularities, and shorten project completion timelines.

The President noted that current regulations are outdated, citing instances of fraud and failure to meet execution deadlines. The discussions also covered various infrastructure projects, including the nearly completed road connecting Tunisia to Algeria and several domestic roadworks. Additionally, the meeting addressed the proposed mega-project to build a bridge to Djerba to replace existing ferries and the Roman road.

Separately, Minister Zouari announced a program to prevent electricity shortages next summer by reducing demand from 6,000 megawatts to 5,700 megawatts. Proposed measures include adjusting industrial work schedules to avoid peak consumption, equipping gas turbines with cooling systems, and supporting small-scale solar energy projects. The budget for the Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Energy for 2027 is estimated at 7,890 million dinars.